eachdraidh | (sharpe's locket) ♖ video: open to all courts

(ACCIDENTAL VIDEO)

...Bloody hell.

[ the locket is propped open on richard sharpe's lap. it catches the lower half of his face and shows a steep-angled frame of one green-jacketed shoulder as he works: trying to transplant a second charm from it's own chain onto the locket's. why carry around two bleeding necklaces when they can be consolidated?

but the chain slips in his calloused fingers and he swears a second time. bugger. ] I should sell it. [ he talks to himself. ] Or else let Pat handle the fool thing. He likes talking. Talks enough for the both of--

[ again, something tumbles; slips; goes awry. sharpe drops another string of strong oaths. ]

╍ ╍ ╍

(PURPOSEFUL VIDEO, LATER THAT DAY)

Who in Caer Glaem's got some scissors I can borrow? [ he doesn't want to ask the damned fairies; don't make him ask the damned fairies. he'd rather the damned fairies didn't even exist! ]

And while we're at it -- [ huff ] -- speak up if any of you poor sods are British army. Either bloody court.

[ he can't yet decide if it will be a windfall or a disaster if he and patrick are the only poor bastards to find themselves absent without leave from their own army. a windfall if he finds some he can order around, he supposes. and a right pain in his arse if he comes across anyone whose rank exceeds his own.

and lacking in many graces, major richard sharpe fails to identify himself. he just sits and glowers at the locket with a scarred face and an impatient expression. ]

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Christ. How'd that happen?

[ he doesn't really have to ask. he knows the answer: war. ]

Got left behind.

[ Though yes. War. ]

And of course the bastard who did it is someone I fought when he attacked Caer Glaem, but I couldn't quite manage to kill him.

Bad luck.

[ he is not (as it sounds) making light of a man's torture. it's merely a hard reality: there are things that have happened that cannot be changed, and perhaps he's seen too much to have his fires truly stoked for bitter indignation. he'd seen too much torture at adrados -- mainly of women, and mainly the sort where they did not survive in the end. to open that subject again makes him feel drained. ]

He's recovering now, is he? You say you're with him? Perhaps, then, his luck ain't so bad.

[ He's seen a great deal. But it's different when it's a friend; it always is. ]

Me and his father, yeah.

[ And Thranduil's wrath is great and terrible, John's seeming less in the wake of it. ]

But as a result, I'm not sure how long it'll be until I'm back in Caer Glaem.

[ ...ah. the one man may be a sergeant and the other a major, but sharpe had been a sergeant once. and commissioned or not, he understands the second-nature concern a leader of any sort has for his mean. and he suspects this man, however good a friend he is, would also be keenly missing his responsibilities. ]

I'll see to your lads, Sergeant.

Thank you.

[ Though some of them are women -- but he'll let Sharpe find that out for himself. ]

I'll give'em a make-work day. [ darning bullet holes and fixing boots and keeping recruits out of mischief. out of the liquor. ] And post some piquets outside the castle. If you're good with it.

Edited 2014-07-03 13:18 (UTC)

I'm good with it. I'll let them know to expect you.

Much obliged, Sergeant.

[ but not too much obliged. he's still a major, after all -- no matter what the difference was in armies and circumstance. ]

Staff Sergeant. [ Might as well correct him before it becomes a thing. ]

Staff Sergeant? [ he asks -- genuinely displeased with himself for an error in decorum. but he can hardly be blamed: the rank does not exist under that name in his army. and he doesn't think to ask whether the man is therefore a colour sergeant. ]

Yeah. [ And John hasn't actually extensively studied military in the UK, much less the army specifically. ] Above Sergeant, below Gunnery Sergeant.

Like a Sergeant Major? [ oh bloody hell this is useless. ] Bugger it. You say you're a Staff Sergeant and so a Staff Sergeant I'll call you. I ain't bothered.

[ He's getting a headache. ] Different branches of the military anyway, plus the time difference -- seems stupid to explain.

Of course I'm a goddamn knight, here.

[ A knight who the fuck thought that was a good idea. ]

A knight. Here.

[ he's bewildered. but also a little envious. sharpe is an ambitious man. ]

Yeah. The monarchs invite people to join.

[ and you get a fancy cloak you want a fancy cloak don't you sharpe ]

[ yes. yes he very much wants a fancy cloak. very much. ]

How? Who do they invite?

People who've proven themselves in battle for them, as far as I can tell.

[ it's gold and swishy :v ]

By some official means, perhaps? Taking a standard? Leading a Forlorn Hope into a breach?

[ he wants to know the mathematics and metrics of this promotion. ]

Not necessarily by an official means. I defended the castle, faced one of the Unseelie combatants who was slaughtering Seelie forces.

[ John was pretty surprised about the promotion himself. Sorry Sharpe. ]

(sharpe's locket) ♖ video: open to all courts

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